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10 facts on blood transfusion

Updated June 2017

Blood transfusion saves lives and improves health, but many patients requiring transfusion do not have timely access to safe blood. The need for blood transfusion may arise at any time in both urban and rural areas. The unavailability of blood has led to deaths and many patients suffering from ill-health. An adequate and reliable supply of safe blood can be assured by a stable base of regular, voluntary, unpaid blood donors. Regular, voluntary, unpaid blood donors are also the safest group of donors as the prevalence of bloodborne infections is lowest among these donors.

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WHO

Fact 1: Blood transfusion saves lives and improves health

Around 112.5 million units of donated blood are collected globally every year. Nearly 47% of these blood donations are collected in high-income countries, home to less than 19% of the world’s population. Many patients requiring transfusion, however, do not have timely access to safe blood and blood products. Every country needs to ensure that supplies of blood and blood products are sufficient and free from HIV, hepatitis viruses and other infections that can be transmitted through transfusion.

WHO

Fact 2: Blood transfusions are used to support various treatments

In high-income countries, the most frequently transfused patient group is over 60 years of age, accounting for up to 79% of all transfusions. The transfusion is commonly used for supportive care in cardiovascular surgery, transplant surgery, massive trauma, and therapy for solid and haematological malignancies. In low- and middle-income countries, it is used more often for management of pregnancy-related complications, childhood malaria complicated by severe anaemia, and trauma-related injuries.

WHO

Fact 3: Adequate supply of safe blood can only be assured through regular, voluntary, unpaid donation

Adequate and reliable supply of safe blood can only be assured through a stable base of regular, voluntary, unpaid blood donors. They are the safest group of donors because the prevalence of bloodborne infections is lowest among them. WHO urges countries to develop national blood systems based on voluntary, unpaid blood donations to achieve the goal of self-sufficiency in safe blood and blood products.

In 2013, 74 countries reported collecting more than 90% of their blood supply from voluntary, unpaid blood donors, among them 57 countries collect 100% of blood supply from voluntary unpaid blood donors. But in 71 countries, less than 50% of blood supplies come from voluntary unpaid donors, with much of their blood supply still dependent on family/replacement and paid blood donors.

WHO

Fact 5: Around 112.5 million blood donations are collected globally every year

About 50% of these are donated in low- and middle-income countries where some 80% of the world’s population lives. The average blood donation rate is more than 9 times greater in high-income countries than in low-income countries.

WHO

Fact 6: Collections at blood centres vary according to income group

About 10 000 blood centres in 168 countries report collecting a total of 83 million blood donations. The median annual blood donations per centre is 15 000 in high-income countries, as compared to 3100 in middle- and low-income countries.

WHO

Fact 7: More people in high-income countries donate blood than in other countries

The median blood donation rate in high-income countries is 32.1 donations per 1000 people per year. This compares with 7.8 donations per 1000 people in middle-income countries and 4.6 donations per 1000 in low-income countries.

Fact 8: Donated blood should always be screened

All donated blood should always be screened for HIV, hepatitis B, hepatitis C and syphilis prior to transfusion. Yet 35 countries are not able to screen all donated blood for one or more of these infections. Testing is not reliable in many countries because of irregular supply of test kits, staff shortages, poor quality test kits, or lack of basic quality in laboratories.

WHO

Fact 9: A single unit of blood can benefit several patients

Separating blood into its various components allows a single unit of blood to benefit several patients and provides a patient only the blood component which is needed. About 97% of the blood collected in high-income countries, 75.5% in middle-income countries and 50% in low-income countries is separated into blood components.

Fact 10: Unnecessary transfusions expose patients to needless risk

Often transfusions are prescribed when simple and safe alternative treatments might be equally effective. As a result such a transfusion may not be necessary. An unnecessary transfusion exposes patients to the risk of infections such as HIV and hepatitis and adverse transfusion reactions.